Eric Uribe
One of the biggest events at the 2022 Winter Olympics, at least if you’re American, is the snowboarding halfpipe. It features two of the biggest stars in Winter sports — Shaun White and Chloe Kim. In this article, we’re previewing both the men’s and women’s competitions, then offering our halfpipe picks to win Olympic gold in Beijing. Read on for free-of-cost AND expert betting advice on the snowboarding event.
Men’s Snowboarding Halfpipe Betting Pick
Before we get into out men halfpipe betting pick at the Olympics, it would suit us to know how the betting odds stand. After scouring the most-popular online sportsbooks, the lines to win gold medal were consistent across the board. Currently, these five boarders have the best odds at winning the event outright:
| Snowboarder |  |  |
| Ayumu Hirano | +195 | +195 |
| Scotty James | +250 | +250 |
| Shaun White | +430 | +430 |
| Yuto Totsuka | +650 | +650 |
| Ruka Hirano | +900 | +900 |
Fade White To Win
Shaun White and snowboarding are synonymous with one another — and have been for the past 16 years. White burst onto the scene at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin. Back then, he was 19 years old and had red hair you couldn’t NOT see. White would win gold at the halfpipe back then, a feat he repeated again in 2010 and 2018. If he medals in Beijing (no matter if it’s gold, silver, or medal), he’ll become the first-ever rider to earn four in this event.
This is also White’ “swan song.” The 35-year-old confirmed this Olympics will be his final hoorah. Given the three previous gold medals and the farewell story, White certainly feels like a must-bet pick in 2022, but we’re here to tell you that he’s not.
Here’s why: the sport has literally and figuratively “caught up” to White. For one, he’s the oldest person to ever compete at the halfpipe in the Olympics. But second and more importantly, White took a three-year break from riding after the 2018 Games. Sure, he was still good enough to qualify for Beijing, but to win? We’re not sure. In his absence, the sport was taken over by a new face and our betting pick to win:
Ride With James To Take Gold
At the 2018 Games, Scotty James of Australia earned the bronze medal as White reclaimed the glory of taking gold. But that was then and this is now though because James has improved significantly in the four years since. James has taken the sport by storm, winning just about everything besides an Olympic gold medal — the World Cup three times, the World Championship another three times, and many more X-Games golds.
Coincidentally, James’ hero growing up was White. It feels only right that he’ll dethrone White and send him into retirement. Bet with the rider with the most momentum — and that’s James.
Women’s Snowboarding Halfpipe Betting Pick
| Snowboarder | | |
| Chloe Kim | -280 | -280 |
| Cai Xuetong | +700 | +700 |
| Sena Tomita | +1300 | +1300 |
| Queralt Castellet | +1300 | +1300 |
| Ruki Tomita | +2500 | +2500 |
You see the lopsided betting odds above, is there anyone worth making a women’s halfpipe betting pick besides Kim? Simply put, no, there isn’t. She’s the new face of snowboarding, taking the baton from White. Four years ago, she became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal at the mere age of 17. Now at only 21 years old, Kim could realistically rule the sport for another decade. She really is head and shoulders above her competition right now (and for the foreseeable future).
How To Watch Snowboarding Halfpipe At 2022 Olympics
The halfpipe events, both for the men and women, will be held between February 8 and 10. The best way to watch the snowboarding halfpipe is on NBC. The network will air the entire event — nothing will be broadcast on NBC’s “sister” channel, USA. Though, for cord cutters, you can also stream all the action on the NBC Peacock or fuboTV apps. For Americans, most the TV coverage will be late at night. That’s because of the time-zone differences in the United States and China.
One more note about scheduling: Tuesday is largely reserved for qualifications, though the women will go through semi-finals that day. A gold medal on the women’s side is decided the next day on Wednesday. Men compete Wednesday too, but the final run isn’t until Thursday.
How To Bet Snowboarding Halfpipe At 2022 Olympics
Last but not least, actually betting the snowboard halfpipe at the Olympics — we mean, what good is this advice if you don’t actually use it for locking in a wager? To do just that, visit one of the betting sites underneath. They have up-to-date betting picks on any and every single Olympic event happening in Beijing. You only have the opportunity to wager on the Winter Olympics once every four years so do you really want to pass up this chance?
Better yet, your first Olympic bets could even be free too. How? Well, bookmakers love — and we mean love — doling out free play in the form of lucrative sign-up bonuses. These deals range between hundreds to thousands of dollars so it’s not chump change either. Reference the table below to see what killer deals are currently available, then use that bonus to make your Olympic betting picks “on the house.”
